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At the Impact - LEO Goodness

First responders change lives. It is a part of the job, and for every routine call, there is a member of the community whose life may be impacted forever. In this section, we will present a small sampling of the stories from community members and the families of service personnel, demonstrating the day-to-day difference a first responder can make through their skill and dedication.

LEO GoodnessWith Natasha Thompson

Interactions between members of the public and law enforcement generally happen in times of extreme stress. Much of this is inherent to the work; while many of the crises addressed by firefighters and EMTs are caused by natural events and may be expected to have a positive outcome, police often respond to emergencies created by malice or neglect. This contributes to the challenges in the perception of police, which can include very negative associations and a mutual sense of distrust. Natasha Thomson of Autoliv, a company that produces the vehicle- mounted Nighttime Optic Thermal Imaging Camera (NOPTIC), joined At the Ready to discuss her Facebook project to counter some of these perceptions.

LEO Goodness is dedicated to showcasing officers exceeding the standards of their profession through “a pic/video collection of cops caught doing some good deed…My goal for this… is to create a broader awareness of the selfless and compassionate acts Law Enforcement Officers are out there doing each and every day,” Thompson said, “I want the public to be emotionally moved when they read about some daring or compassionate deed.”

Thompson’s work with first responders through NOPTIC first inspired her to create the page. “I have had the opportunity to become more familiar with the horrifically shocking and daunting tasks that all First Responders are not only expected to deal with (from the public themselves) but also required to as part of the daily responsibilities, and my heart cries out for them,” she said. “How many companies out there task employees with responsibilities without giving them the proper resources, technology, and tools they need to complete their work efficiently, while not compromising the thoroughness of the each detail, without fear of scrutiny by the very people you are waking up to serve each and every day; in short, I am absolutely appalled by our society’s lack of compassion for the very people that strive to keep our world right in front of us safe from violent criminals, terrorists, natural disasters, traffic accidents.”

First and foremost, the site is designed to let first responders “know that there are millions of people supporting them out there.” From simple stories, such as officers helping students with their homework, to more dramatic cases of intervention to support victims in a moment of crisis, it highlights “outstanding Officers that go above and beyond that already lengthy Call of Duty list.” Thompson also recognizes the mutual impact this kind of recognition may have upon officers and the citizens they serve through its chance to “make their job a bit more rewarding; [this] will lead to better behavior by not only the public citizens, but the Officers themselves as well.”

For more information about LEO Goodness or NOPTIC’s equipment, contact Natasha Thompson at: